That Fluttering Bird of a Heart
by EffervescentGrace
Summary: Daniel and Kristopherson are thirteen year old, slightly awkward, slightly gangly best friends. A sleepover at Kris's house could change that. DLTD fanficception because Hate- senpai is amazing!


"Girls are so stupid," Daniel Westley said petulantly, kicking his feet back and forth from his spot on the edge of the bed. He was sleeping over his best friend, Kristopherson Miles's house, and while it was very late, the two boys simply thought that it was much too silly to be sleeping when they could be talking to one another. They were, after all, thirteen year old boys who did not take kindly to being told when to sleep.

Kris seemed to ponder Daniel's statement, and then with a roll of his eyes, dismissed it. "Girls aren't stupid."

"They are!" Daniel said eagerly. "They're always worrying about their faces and clothes and how much food they eat. How is that not stupid?"

Kris scrolled the page on his laptop computer idly, frowning slightly at Daniel's words. "Girls are just insecure about themselves," He said in a way that Daniel thought was much too wise for a boy his age. "They think they always have to pretty, no matter what, because that's what everyone tells them."

Daniel gaped slightly at that, shaking his head. "See, girls _are _stupid if they're going to change just because people tell them too!"

Kristopherson rolled his eyes once again. He glanced at Daniel slyly. "You're just saying that because you've never kissed a girl and a girl's never wanted to kiss you."

Daniel was properly affronted by that statement. "That's not true!" He turned slightly and leaned forward to poke Kris in his ribs. The Miles boy laughed and rolled over so he was on his back. He propped himself up on his elbows, grinning victoriously.

"It's totally true," He said, mimicking Daniel's voice uncannily. "It's nothing to be ashamed of, I'm sure one day you'll convince some poor girl you're worthy of a kiss, or at least get her close enough to get the job done."

Daniel flushed, both in anger and embarrassment. He wasn't sure he could ever forgive Kristopherson for insulting him like that.

"I've kissed loads of girls," He said as haughtily as he could muster, squaring his shoulders and sitting up straight.

Kris raised an eyebrow, his eyes narrowed slightly and the smirk slipping. "Really?" He asked, tilting his head to the side in question.

"Yes," Daniel nodded sharply, just to get his point across; though he's sure the firmness of his voice already confirmed it.

His friend raised his eyebrows appraisingly, a mixture of surprise, contemplation and disbelief painted on his features. Daniel told himself he most certainly was _not _blushing; the room had just gotten considerably warmer. He wriggled around on the bedspread awkwardly.

There was a couple of moments of silence. Daniel could hear the faint drizzle of the permanent rain that soaked London, and could see the ominous shadows cast around Kristopherson's room from the lamp by his bedside.

The moments turned into more, and they stretched like Funtom chewing gum.

It was excruciating.

"Shut _up._" Daniel blurted eventually, scowling heavily.

Kris laughed, a delighted and triumphant sound that both grated on Daniel's nerves and made him need to smile. "I believe you!"

"Really?" He raised his head hopefully, only to have that hope crushed moments later.

"No."

"I have!"

The gaze Kris sent him was so unbearably blunt and disbelieving that Daniel finally gave in, discarding his stubbornness with a sigh. "Alright, I haven't. Are you happy now?"

Kris smiled in an uncharacteristically kind way that nearly made Daniel blush. It was both infuriating and embarrassing and pleasant all at once.

"I don't think it matters all that much, in the grand scheme of things," Kris said, in an unusually kind voice that matched his unusually kind smile. "I've never kissed anyone either,"

Daniel couldn't help but notice the word 'anyone' instead of 'girl' but he decided not to press it, though he felt prodding the subject might be a good way of getting revenge.

Daniel wondered why Kris had never been all that interested in girls all his life- they had become over the last few months a constant in the back of Daniel's mind. They were undeniably very pretty, all soft skin, large eyes, full lips and even fuller curves that men simply could not have but craved like some sort of drug. He wondered if Kris thought so too, and if not, why that was.

The question was on the seam of his lips and nearly spilt forward. Daniel caught himself just in time. Despite what most thought, he at least had enough common sense not to blurt out such a question without any tact. Instead, he averted his eyes to the side.

"I think we should go to sleep," He muttered, making to move to the other side of the gargantuan bed, but Kris quickly grasped his wrist and looked at him with earnest.

"But it's barely past midnight." He continued on before Daniel could protest. "Why have you never kissed a girl? Don't you want to?"

The question was so simple to answer and yet so embarrassing that Daniel had to fight the urge to cover his face. Just because he had never kissed a girl did not mean he wanted to start behaving like one. The question was innocently mortifying and Daniel could feel himself flushing.

"I… well, it's… The problem is that I- well, I don't- really know… _how_."

He sighed in relief at his sudden big confession. Now he merely waited for the judgement.

Kris smiles again, big and teasing though without any real malice. "But it's easy! You see people do it all the time!"

"I mean…" Daniel grimaced and his eyes scourged the room as if it would give him the answers he needed. "It's the mouths. I'm not really sure how it's supposed to be…" He meant to say the word 'pleasurable' but the word would not come out. "Nice."

Kris seemed to ponder this seriously. "I think it all has to do with how you place your hands and move your lips." He looked at Daniel, in a somewhat shy manner under his eyelashes and Daniel thought he saw a flush along his cheeks, though it might have just been his imagination.

Daniel wanted to stop all conversations on kissing. It was getting strange. Kris had that same odd look in his eyes that he got sometimes when they teased one another.

There was that excruciating silence that was almost entirely different from the one from earlier. Daniel wanted to joke around or something, but all witty remarks and conversation starters had fled from Daniel's mind. He had never had trouble talking to Kris before, but now, for the life of him, he couldn't remember how to speak.

"Daniel," Kris says, voice low. Daniel suddenly felt like a bird was flapping around frantically in his chest. He looked up, too quickly.

"Yes?"

Kris's expression was one Daniel had never seen before- it was all wide eyes and intensity and nervousness, as if he was bursting to say something important but was too uncertain to say it.

"…Yes?" He said again, more timidly than before.

Kris looked away, shutters suddenly falling over his eyes. He shook his head, cleared his throat.

"We should go to sleep," He said, and Daniel wished he imagined the deep set regret he heard in Kris's voice.

Without any more words, Kris promptly lied down, his back facing Daniel, tense as an iron rod. Utter disappointment crashed down like an anchor on Daniel's chest, and he wondered what on earth he was disappointed about. Confused and wondering what had suddenly happened, Daniel laid down on his side of the bed, listening to the sounds of rain fall and Kristopherson's gentle breathing.


End file.
